Browsing Category

Student Life

Career Student Life

How Students Can Make Some Extra Cash In Real Estate

September 15, 2021
Hand holding up money

If you are a college student looking to make extra money, there are plenty of ways for you to do so. From driving with Uber or Lyft to working for your university, many opportunities are available if you know where to look. One area you might not have thought to look at, however, is real estate. How can a full-time student make any money in the real estate business? Well, that’s exactly what we are going to explore in this post!

There is plenty of money to be made, and all you need is the attitude and planning to get a piece of it!

Have You Considered Becoming a Part-Time Realtor?

There are several steps you need to take before you can become a realtor, but — once completed — this job offers flexible hours. A realtor that works 20 hours/week makes $24,556 a year on average. That means you can choose when to work and easily schedule around class time. You’ll need to take an online prep course and then pass your state’s licensing exam, but after that, you can apply to a brokerage near your school.

If you have a free summer, then you should take the course and licensing exam then, as you wouldn’t want the licensing process to get in the way of your studies. Plus, it doesn’t take three months to complete, so you can use the rest of the summer to get comfortable with the job before resuming your studies.

Suppose you are going to school for finance, business, or hospitality and management. In that case, this job is a perfect resume builder because it involves negotiating with buyers and sellers, keeping track of accounts, numbers, and spreadsheets, and requires that you develop and maintain a schedule. If you can pull it off, this is a lucrative way to make money while in school and develop many sought-after skills in the job marketplace.

Have You Considered Investing in Real Estate?

Investing in real estate sounds like something your parents might bring up with their friends as you awkwardly engage in conversation at a family party. However, it has never been easier for retail investors, a.k.a. you, me, and everyone who isn’t a full-time investor, to enter the real estate investment market.

Many traditional investment businesses have followed Robinhood’s lead and opened up real estate investments to the masses through REITs publicly traded on the stock market. REITs, short for real estate investment trusts, are publicly traded companies that exist solely to invest in real estate. It is an indirect way to invest in real estate, as you are removed from direct investments, but the return on investment can undoubtedly be direct!

If you have extra cash, you may want to consider investing in a REIT through Robinhood or any similar investment app. A smart plan would be not to order out once a week and instead put that money toward a REIT investment. Similarly, you could look at any extraneous expense, like coffee or pizza, and reallocate that money into your investments.

The Takeaway

There are many ways to tap into the predicted growth when it comes to massive markets – like real estate. Whether you tap into it directly by getting involved in a brokerage as a realtor or indirectly through real estate investments, there are opportunities to be had and money to be made.

The critical thing to remember is that opportunities are abundant if you know how and where to look for them.

BIO: Veronica Baxter is a writer, blogger, and legal assistant operating out of the greater Philadelphia area. She writes for Chad Boonswang, a successful life insurance lawyer in Philadelphia.  

0 Comments
Student Life

7 Top Budgeting Tips for College Students

September 12, 2021
finances

Going to college is an exciting period in your life. You’ll likely experience more freedom than at any prior point in your life. While spreading your wings is fun and amazing, one area that can get you in trouble is money.

Without a thorough understanding of basic finance, new college students often find themselves in trouble very quickly. College can be a great place to learn how to budget your finances, a skill that will benefit you for the rest of your life.

1. Start by Adding Up Your Expenses

Before you can budget anything, you need to know what you are working with. Total up the amount of money you have coming in each month. Start with any full or part-time jobs you may be holding while in college. If your hours fluctuate each week, you can look at the last several months and figure out the average.

Also consider any other sources of income, such as money from your parents, student loans, gifts from relatives, anything that brings in money. Add all those income sources to calculate your monthly net income. This is what you use to budget your expenses.

2. Add Together Your Expenses

Now you’ll want to total up all your expenses. Are you living in an apartment? You want to write down your rent (or your share of it if you have roommates). What about transportation? Do you have a car, or do you use public transportation?

If you rent an apartment, what about your utilities such as gas, electricity, water, parking, and anything else associated with it? Living in an apartment means you’re probably responsible for your food, too. Add that in.

What about gym memberships, going to the movies, books, clothes, cell phone, and other materials? It’s important to sit down and go through your month day by day and write down any time you spent money.

When totaling your expenses, you may need to calculate an average once again. If you are renting an apartment, chances are your rent is fixed, the same amount month to month. But expenses like food may vary greatly from month to month. Total your expenses for several months. Divide the total by that number of months. There’s your average for those expenses that may fluctuate every month.

3. Divide Your Expenses into Needs VS Wants

Here’s where you have to get real. If you are struggling to make ends meet each month, you may need to make some cuts. Start by tracking your expenses and deciding if you need them or if they are expendable.

If you live in your own apartment, that’s probably a need. You may be able to find additional roommates to help shoulder the cost. You might be able to find a cheaper apartment. Or you may consider moving into your college’s dorms.

Other expenses can be adjusted, too. What about your cell phone? Do you really need it? If you do, maybe you can move to a more affordable plan. Consider your food. Learn a few simple cooking techniques, buy some groceries, and you’ll be amazed at how much money you can save.

Many online services are subscription-based. These services rely on customers forgetting about them and they roll over month to month. Look at any subscriptions you may have. Are there any you’ve forgotten? Of the ones you have, are you really using them enough to warrant the expense?

4. Saving Money Where You Live

Most financial experts will say living in a dorm is better for your bottom line. Your heat, water, electricity, and meal plan are often all rolled up in one expense. This makes it much easier to keep track of your money and what you need to pay.

Unless you are living in your parents’ home, try to get an apartment close to school. Instead of dumping all your money into a used car that may break down at the worst time, walk to school. You’ll be healthier and save a lot of money.

If you own a dog or cat, you may be able to get pet surcharges in your apartment dropped by getting your pet certified as an emotional support animal. Getting an ESA letter is easier to get now than in years past.

5. Watch the Economy

Pay attention to the global, national, and local economies. Like it or not, the economy affects college students, too. If the economy is doing well, you may be able to find a better paying part-time job while you are in college. However, if the economy is doing poorly, you might want to hang onto that job you were thinking about quitting until things get better.

6. Look for Online and Offline Savings

There are many opportunities to save when shopping online. One well-known tactic is using credit cards to rack up rewards points, cashback, or airline miles. Another way to save is by using an online shopping extension, like the one from Capital One Shopping or Honey.

Another simple way to save money while shopping is using your student ID. That little card opens a world of savings to you. There’s only one catch. Many times, you must ask if a business offers student discounts. Many do, but they don’t advertise it. Carry your student ID with you everywhere you go. It’s that simple.

7. Compare Investing with Paying Off Student Loans

Yes, investing and planning for your retirement as early as possible is smart. Paying off student loans is also a great move. The key to deciding which to do and how much depends on interest rates.

How much money will you save by paying off your college loans early? How much money will you make in your investments? Comparing your student loans and investment goals will begin to give you an idea of where to put your money.

Summing Up

Going to college is an important step in your journey into adulthood. The best part? Many important life lessons are the ones you don’t learn in a classroom. Simply by being proactive, you can save a lot of money, reduce the pressure on yourself, and enjoy college even more.

0 Comments
Adulting Safety Student Life

Apartment Safety Tips for Renters

September 10, 2021

When it comes to living in your first apartment, safety is just as important as location or amenities. As opposed to single-family homes, apartments are 85% more likely to be targeted for crimes such as theft, according to the National Crime Prevention Council. Fortunately, there are several ways to protect yourself from apartment burglars.

An apartment complex that has many units can be an easier target for burglars because they are able to act as though they live in the building and simply follow someone inside. There are other factors that also affect the likelihood of a burglar paying a visit to an apartment complex, including:

  • Convenience
  • Occupancy
  • Visibility
  • Accessibility
  • Vulnerability

Even in a smaller unit such as a one-bedroom apartment, there could be items that are valuable and worth stealing. In fact, the average victim of theft reports a loss of $2,416, according to FBI crime reports. Although the two most common stolen items are drugs and money, there is a variety of valuables that could be in plain sight and easy for a burglar to grab.

Other common stolen items include:

  • Cash
  • Jewelry
  • Illegal drugs
  • Electronics
  • Prescription drugs

Security Tips for New Renters

One of the perks of living in an apartment complex is that other tenants can give an added element of vigilance. Aside from this, however, there are some steps that new renters can follow to help protect their homes. Whether it’s your first time moving into an apartment or the tenth, here are some safety tips to think about before move-in day:

  1. Do a search of local crime. Take a virtual tour of an online crime database before you tour the building. Location is key, so find out what to expect before you sign a lease.
  • Survey the environment. Details such as dark corners, overgrown landscaping, peeling paint or broken fences are signs of inattention and carelessness, which can attract burglars looking for an easy target.
  • Check the windows. While doors are often the first point of entry for residents and burglars alike, broken, vulnerable or loose windows make getting in too easy for intruders.

Moving into your first apartment is an exciting adventure. To protect your new home, make sure your security bases are covered. Check out this infographic for more information on how to get your residential security up to snuff as a renter or landlord.

BIO: Travis Ray is Director of Customer Care & Strategic Marketing for KEYper® Systems, a key management and storage systems company. Ray is responsible for overseeing the customer care team that provides software and hardware support for new and current clients.

0 Comments
Student Life

How to Support Students During Online Learning

September 6, 2021

The shift to online learning didn’t start during the pandemic. But lockdowns and closures of schools did accelerate its adoption. The unscheduled switch to online classes affected 90% of the world’s students and didn’t allow schools much time to plan and restructure learning and teaching approaches. As most of the world is still cautious about opening school doors, kids and their parents need a reliable and easily accessible source of information and help – the school website. Not only that, schools need to ensure that they all have a positive experience during these stressful times. Below are some useful tips that schools can implement to promote the love of learning to their students whether they’re digital or offline.

Come Up With Effective Teaching Methods

It’s impossible to engage everyone while you’re teaching a face-to-face class. It’s even more problematic when the teaching is done online. There are plenty of distractions at home that can easily take away their focus. It’s also much easier for them to get away with it. Moreover, switching to remote learning is not easy. 

Obviously, you have to keep your students interested in what you’re sharing with them. You need to have a clear understanding of who they are individually and what interests they have. More importantly, you need to adopt various teaching methods to ensure that everyone is benefiting from their online class. 

To help you figure out which strategies will work on your students, here are some effective online teaching methods that have made online learning much more engaging to students this past year:

  • Game-based teaching. Increase student engagement and learning by utilizing games. 
  • Use an online whiteboard or mind map. Allow your students to brainstorm ideas, take interactive quizzes, and draw diagrams and charts to share with the rest of the class.
  • Ask your students to create content. Allow them to work together or individually in creating digital stories about lessons you’ve discussed using various software such as Powerpoint.

Make Learning Materials Accessible

Every child has a right to an education, whether it’s done face-to-face or online. Schools need to ensure that all their students are able to access educational materials. The switch to remote learning has been a struggle for most students, but it has been extremely challenging for nearly 7 million of them who have a disability. It’s not easy for this group to get the same access to instruction and support online. They are faced with unique barriers such as a lower level of comfort with using technology. It’s the school’s responsibility to ensure that their transition is as easy as possible. 

One way to provide disabled students access to information and educational materials is to ensure ADA compliance for school websites. To make their website accessible, schools can:

  • Provide text alternatives for audio and visual content.
  • Ensure keyboard functionality.
  • Make text readable and understandable.
  • Make the website compatible with assistive technologies such as screen readers.

Provide in-Depth Feedback

It’s important that our students are provided constant and meaningful feedback, especially when they’re feeling isolated from their teachers and peers at home. Consistent communication about what they need to learn, how they are progressing, and what they can do to reach their goal. 

Good feedback is not just about giving your students their grades or telling them they did a “good job.” In order to be effective, you need to have a clear understanding of the target that your student needs to reach. What do you want your students to achieve? More importantly, the goals you set need to be actionable. 

Assess Your Students’ Progress

The first step to providing your student with feedback is to see if your students are on track to meeting the goal/s you have set for them. You need to assess how much they have mastered the lesson, whether it’s learning how to write or having a clear understanding of algebraic equations. How are they doing in class, particularly during discussions? How well does he meet the class requirements? What are his test scores? 

Identify any Potential Obstacle

After the assessment, you need to get specific insight on what obstacles are preventing them from reaching their goal. What is stopping him from mastering the lesson? Is it the teaching method used? Is he getting bored during online classes? 

Suggest Solutions if Necessary 

For feedback to be truly effective, you need to provide your students with solutions. Value-based statements such as “needs improvement” or “good job” will not help them understand what they can do to progress and achieve their goal. Effective feedback requires concrete, descriptive information that can help your students improve their work. If they don’t know how to improve, it will be easy for them to give up. So, how can he do better?

Future of Education

Traditional education has been undergoing a radical change over the past few years. The switch to remote learning isn’t going to go away even after the pandemic ends. Online education is here to stay. While some students may go back to the traditional classroom experience, others may choose online education because it suits their needs and goals. Schools need to make sure that all their students, whether learning in school or out of it, are able to access the same support and instruction.

BIO:  David Gevorkian started Be Accessible because of his passion for website accessibility and ADA compliance. He spent much of his career working for financial institutions creating websites and mobile applications. He earned his Master’s in Business Administration from Salve Regina University in Rhode Island. David is an advocate for creating web interfaces usable by all people. He enjoys recording music and playing soccer with friends.

Student Life

How to Alleviate the Stress That Comes With Being Undecided in College

August 29, 2021
Happy

Let’s face it. There is an unrealistic amount of pressure for young adults to “know” what they want to do with the rest of their life. Before they know it, students are sitting in a college counselor’s office deciding on a major at only eighteen years old, a decision that could determine their entire future. It’s important to know that you are not alone if you feel lost about what path to follow toward your future. There will be people you meet in your careers that, at any age, will tell you they are still exploring different careers and trying to figure out what they truly want to do. Here are a few things to note that will help alleviate the stress and pressure you can feel from being undecided in college. 

Many Students Will Change Their Major

Almost 75% of students will change their major at least once. Even if you feel like all your friends have it figured it out and are confident in the major they chose, chances are they will change it or adjust their emphasis before graduating. With this in mind, focus on taking your prerequisite courses that will be needed regardless of the major you choose. 

Your Major Does Not Limit You to a Single Career Path

Many students believe that the major they pick will lock them down into a field where they will never be able to venture out. This is not true at all as there will be multiple career opportunities presented to you regardless of your major. A large percentage of people do not have a career in the field where they have a degree. This is not to say the knowledge that they learned from their undergraduate and graduate programs is not being utilized (as there are many ways in which those skills are valuable), but there is a sense of comfort in knowing that, for example, you can study psychology and still work in the business field.

There is No Rush in Figuring Out What to Do 

There is a lot of stress put onto figuring out what to do and not enough emphasis on the importance of figuring out what we don’t want to do. Explore different jobs and internships, take unique elective class courses, and start crossing things off the list that you decide don’t feel right. Don’t get discouraged by taking up opportunities that you end up not liking, it is still a step in the right direction.

With figuring out what you want to do, looking at other students and rushing to explore your educational and future careers, it can be a lot to handle all at once as an undergraduate student. It is important to keep in mind that there is no rush to success, and everything you do is leading you towards the best path for your future. 

Student Life

Student Housing: A History

August 26, 2021
On Campus Job

Living on campus has become a staple for American universities not only as a marker of social interaction but as a sharp transition into adulthood. Students living among their peers provides a space where they can be surrounded by those in the same life stages as them as well as build bonds that enhance their education and social spheres. There are many pros and cons associated with living on campus, but what strengthens the influence of student housing is that it has been supported and evolved since the seventeenth century. Many factors and differences in both the architectural development of dormitories and the integration of students represent the importance of college residency over time in both students’ educational lives as well as social development. 

How It All Began

The first residence hall was constructed at the Indian College at Harvard University in 1650 as an area of exclusion and segregation meant to keep the Native Americans separated from other students. As colleges were increasingly run by religious denominations, such as Protestants, the establishment of a residence hall quickly turned into a means of keeping university students in compliance with religious ideals and implementing moral standards. This made the influence of dormitories geared to strengthen integrity as well as education rather than implement social activity. As their use became more widespread, not all students agreed with the implication of moral standards and constrictive religious applications. Fraternity houses, established in the mid nineteenth century, became hubs for social activity, male bonding and finding future business partners. Greek organizations, therefore, served a prominent role in directing college housing towards social interaction and away from religious and moral practices. 

What Residence Structure Reveals About History 

The evolution of campus housing design reveals a great deal about the standards of different time periods and how this affected socialization. From the beginning of college residency, segregation of gender, race and monetary status became a key aspect of how college residency was structured. This is seen throughout different decades as many people of color were not allowed to live in the dormitories of white students up until the civil rights movement in the1960’s, and they were either given no living space or had to find living quarters where they would not run into other students. Fraternity houses noted a general difference in students who could afford to live in the upscale mansions provided by alumni versus those who were only able to reside in the cheaper college dorms., highlighting exclusivity. As more women began obtaining undergraduate degrees, universities designed female dormitories different from the male’s. In order to rear women towards their suggested domestic lifestyle, their residence halls were designed like houses with large parlors, living areas and more in order to entertain and focus on socialization. Their dorms were also built safer than others as women were seen to need more protection. Stark architectural differences are seen before and after World War II. After the war, colleges let go of the courtyard-style set up and adopted the modern high-rise architecture to avoid spending more time and money.

While it is interesting to note the different time periods and historical situations college residency has been through, it is equally important to recognize the many steps that were taken for on campus housing to become what it is today. There have been modifications, set-backs and progressions, all of which mark just how far these educational institutions have come. Through thick and thin, on campus housing has always been a reflection of the importance of not only entering adulthood, but finding ways to make public interaction and socialization a key part of each student’s education and future.

Student Life

How to Be Uniquely You in Your First Year of College

August 23, 2021

In the midst of meeting new people who have various backgrounds and habits, it can be difficult not to compromise who you are, but it can be done.

One of the most important lessons you can learn early in life is that being yourself is the most interesting thing you can do . Losing sight of who you truly are in the midst of socializing with different crowds is an unfortunate but common experience of young college students. 

As a young adult, once you figure out that being yourself is what allows you to find people who support and are excited to be friends with you, being authentically yourself becomes a lot easier. The sooner you realize this, the better off you will be. Experiencing different crowds and participating in a wide variety of activities is meant to help college students figure out who they are and what they want to do with their time. 

It may take some time to figure out what strikes individual interest and what types of people you should surround yourself with, but with so many different opportunities to experience and different groups of people to meet, figuring that out comes easy in college. 

The most important thing to keep in mind is to maintain your own self worth. Setting initial boundaries on how you want to be treated ensures that you will be respected, and people will appreciate those standards and work to meet them. 

Maintaining your unique personality is one of the most important things to achieve when in college because it allows you to attract other like minded people and situations that you will naturally gravitate towards and enjoy. 

Young students commonly shift how they act or who they are around new people, but with time and a better understanding that being yourself is what makes you stand out, it becomes easier to maintain your unique identity. 

Student Life

How to Stay Motivated in College

August 20, 2021

Staying motivated in college is something that comes naturally to some students and a lot harder for others. Motivation is fleeting, but relying on self discipline and consistency is what will ultimately help students get through those days they need to be driven. Motivation is known as the willingness and desire to do something, and let’s be honest, as human beings, we are not always willing to do all the tasks that are expected of us.  

The first step students can take to attempt to ensure that motivation remains intact in college is to set daily goals. By establishing goals, students set themselves up for success. There is something about establishing a plan of action that helps ensure that encouragement remains intact. 

Having a good balance between academics, extracurricular activities and social life is a tactic that helps students avoid burnout. By figuring out the perfect amount of time that should be allocated to each aspect of life, a student can easily stay motivated.

People often overestimate the existence of motivation. It is not always going to be present. Relying on motivation alone to ensure student success is not sufficient because there are going to be times when, as a student, you are going to be discouraged and not have the presence of motivation to push through. Being disciplined and forcing yourself to be consistent with your productive habits is what should be the ultimate ticket for student success in college. 

Setting specific goals and making sure to stick to them may help with motivation for the sake of personal accountability. Having set goals is a tangible thing students are able to keep track of that will enable them to stick to what they set out for themselves. 

Having an idea of how you want your day to go and what you want to accomplish throughout each day can help with motivation. The feeling of accomplishment that comes after you get to mark a task off of your list is an incomparable feeling that a lot of students might find hard to pass up. 

Do not get discouraged if you are not able to accomplish all your tasks that you assigned for yourself on a specific day as long as you worked on each of the other tasks to the best of your ability. 

Motivation is defined as the driving force that propels people to engage in specific goal-directed activities. This feeling is most likely not always going to be present, so it is important to recognize that discipline is what will ultimately guide most students’ success.

Student Life

7 Student Saving Tips on Electronics & Back-to-Campus Items

August 17, 2021

Shopping for back-to-school supplies can be an expensive exercise, but there are many ways to make savings by utilizing a few tips and tricks.

Here are 7 simple money-saving tips to keep your back-to-campus shopping to a minimum.

1. Don’t double up on what you already have

Unless this is the first year that you have ever bought supplies for school, chances are that you have a surprising amount of stuff left over that is still perfectly usable.

This might sound obvious, but all-too-many people get stuck thinking that they need to buy everything brand new for a new year, yet they are surrounded by many items with plenty of life left in them. So, do a full inventory of what you already have before finalizing a list of what you actually need to buy.

2. Plan and budget

Once you have a firm list of all the essentials that must be bought, work out a budget and break it down into realistic categories, such as clothing, supplies, electronics etc. Having a budget to follow and track can help you to avoid overspending.

3. Buy in bulk when it makes sense to

Any items that you will repeatedly need throughout the year can be saved upon if you buy them in bulk at a discounted price. So, any time you find a great deal on any replaceable items, such as stationary for example, buy up for the year – you’ll make a saving overall as well as relieve yourself of having to reshop every time you run low on a particular supply.

4. Delay less-urgent purchases to spread the expense

There may be some items that you simply won’t actually need at the start of the year, some perhaps not even for the first semester.

So, for example, if there is an expensive textbook for a subject that you won’t be starting until later in the term or year, leave purchasing it until nearer the time to spread the costs instead of having to find it all upfront.

This goes for seasonal clothing, too, and anything else that isn’t an urgent purchase.

5. Search for student discounts

There are a wide variety of discounts available for college students on many different purchases, including technology, clothing, travel, streaming media and more.

For example, Amazon Prime offers students half price membership, Grubhub gives student members free delivery on orders over $12, Spotify offers significantly reduced student subscriptions, and you can get 10% – 15% off of student travel through Amtrak and Greyhound.

For these and more student savings, take a look at bankrate.com’s list of 2021 offers. These savings may not always seem like a lot, but there are so many student offers to utilize across a variety of daily expenses, that the savings can really stack up over a year.

6. Don’t pay full price on tech items

Electronic devices and technologies can represent the greatest expense when it comes to preparing for life as a student on campus, but it needn’t be quite as costly as you think.

For starters, refurbished electronics are often in ‘like-new’ condition and sold for a fraction of the cost of a new one off the shelf. This goes for laptops, desktops, monitors, tablets, televisions and audio equipment. The important thing is to ensure that the item has been genuinely refurbished and not only cleaned up and repackaged. 

To be sure, you can stick to buying refurbished products from the original manufacturers, for example:

  • Samsung-certified refurbished phones carry a one-year warranty
  • Apple also offers a one-year warranty on its pre-owned phones
  • When you buy a refurbished item from Dell, you receive a 100-day (limited) warranty, as well as  a 30-day money-back guarantee

Also, take the time to shop around for discounts and promotions, as well as coupons – especially online coupons for computers and other big ticket electronics. 

In fact, it’s worth noting here that online couponing is big business in today’s ecommerce world, and you can usually find a discount coupon code for most online purchases, so it’s worth taking the extra couple of minutes to find a saving on whatever you are shopping for.

7. Save on textbooks

According to the College Board, it is estimated that a student studying at college for four years can expect to pay around $1,240 per year on books and other supplies.

Marketplace, Craigslist, and other online second-hand platforms can be a great place to start when it comes to finding some bargains, but you can also save hundreds of dollars by renting your textbooks.

Textbook Rentals, Cheapest Textbooks, and Campus Books are just a few of the helpful sites that specialize in selling used textbooks and renting them out, too.

Final thoughts

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to feel extra prepared by splurging on supplies. But, by utilizing a few money saving tips and tricks, you can leave yourself a little more financial wiggle room for spending extra in other areas, including having fun!

Student Life

Helpful Tips to Succeed in College Math

August 13, 2021

Most students will take at least one mathematics class in college and it is not uncommon to take the same math course more than once to pass. Even if your major is in humanities and social science, most colleges will require all students to complete at least one math class. There is a reason why colleges do this as it’s important to always learn new things. Nonetheless, here are some handy tactics for you to succeed in college math classes.

Plan ahead

Students often don’t plan for the semester ahead and this is a big mistake. Plan your semester, mark down when homework is due and when you need to prepare for your exams. Professors will not coordinate with other classes to give you time to prepare for exams. In fact, sometimes exams can be all in one week so you are responsible for keeping track of where you should be.

Students should always read the materials before a class even if it is difficult to understand. Learning this way will give you the opportunity to think about the materials beforehand and be ready to ask about any confusing concepts in class.

You can even go further and plan who will be the professor teaching your classes. Some professors are better at teaching and some might provide assessment formats that you are better at. It is always wise to scope out professors for the reasons above to prepare yourself with the best chances of succeeding in your math exams.

Read the textbook before solving the problems

Lectures are limited by time and will not cover everything in the textbook, so always review the chapter before attempting any math problems. College level mathematics can be more abstract and complex compared to high school, where mindless computations could be enough for you to pass. Understanding the concept of math problems can make the problems more fascinating and easier to solve rather than jumping directly into problems.

Do the homework

Completing homework in mathematics is essential for the making of an academic superstar. Homework given in class will most likely be the types of questions that will be in the exam and completing them on time will make the next class a lot easier. Take the homework seriously, be sure to ask questions when you can’t solve a problem and don’t leave a problem unsolved.

Join a study group

Better to be together than alone. Study groups are the perfect sharing point with your peers where you can find more resources, get homework help and teach each other. For example, other students may have more past papers to practice on or tips for the exam from students who have completed this class before. Either way, you can assess yourself, if you can teach someone else math, then you have truly mastered the topic.

Some colleges provide students in undergraduate math classes with free access to course assistants. For example, Harvard provides this through a community called Math Question Center (MQC).
Learning to succeed in college takes a lot of hands-on hard work and engagement with your classes. On the other hand there are different undergraduate math classes where you may do better in some and worse in others. You may be asking yourself, is calculus hard at college? In the end, math is one of those many hurdles you will face in college and it is not impossible to succeed in it. In addition to these tips, here are skills every student needs to succeed in college.